Therapeutic Areas
Oncology
Arcellx is focused on the development of cell therapies in cancers with a particularly high need where the targeted and controllable nature of ARC-SparX therapy could be most beneficial for patients.
Arcellx is developing cell therapy treatments for multiple myeloma, acute myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, and solid tumors.
Multiple Myeloma
Multiple myeloma (MM) is a blood cancer that may cause cancerous tumors in bone and soft tissue. Multiple myeloma is the second most common hematological malignancy in the United States and Europe. Despite the development and use of multiple new therapies, the five-year survival rate is approximately 50%. Multiple myeloma remains incurable in most patients.
Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a blood and bone cancer that arises from bone marrow stem cells that have accumulated genetic mutations, causing the mutated cells to grow uncontrollably. CAR-T therapies are being deployed with specificity for various targets including CD33, CD123, FLT3, CCL1, CD19, IL1RAP and NKG2D. The five-year survival rate for acute myeloid leukemia patients is 29%.
Myelodysplastic Syndrome
Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a disease closely related to AML in which a population of abnormal myeloid stem cells develop in the bone marrow. Like AML, MDS impacts the elderly, with patients often diagnosed in their 70s. An estimated one-third of MDS patients progress to AML. Patients are typically treated with chemotherapy. While stem cell transplant may cure MDS, toxicities associated with the treatment significantly limit patient eligibility.
Solid Tumors
Arcellx has engineered novel SparX proteins for three distinct solid tumor-associated antigens and plans to select a lead candidate in preparation for clinical testing in a solid tumor indication. ARC-SparX cell therapy could address the challenge of heterogeneity within solid tumors by targeting multiple antigens found on tumor cells, as well as the challenge of relapse as antigens change over time.
Autoimmune Diseases
The ability to start, stop and control dosing of SparX proteins makes the ARC-SparX platform well-suited to the treatment of autoimmune diseases, which have different risk-benefit thresholds compared to oncology indications. Arcellx is developing SparX-BCMA and other potential targets in select autoimmune indications.